Recording and All It Offers

Many times I get asked how recording can benefit an artist, outside the usual monetary and recognitional properties that stem from producing a recorded work. In this blog posting I want to address the many subtle benefit that come from recording on regular basis.

As artists sometimes we become accustomed how we sound, how things feel, and how we expect things to come out. Through this, we develop a sense of how we think things should come out. In other words, we become conditioned by our own technical success. Ultimately, there is nothing inherently wrong with this. However, if we plan to progress in our art form we should consider techniques that will keep us unbiasly accountable. Recording ourselves offers this technique. By recording ourselves, we are able to hear ourselves void of conditioned hearing. We are not judging our sound, combined with the filters from out preconceived notions of what we should sound like. Therefore, our progression is dependent on us thereafter. How we view this recording is completely dependent on us. Ultimately, we should strive for constructive judgment. We should look at the recording as a light on our blemishes, an opening eye to things we may have not heard when initially recording.

The key to this viewing is by disconnecting yourself from the recording, taking a subjective look at your recording. Then, you will want to focus on how you can improve on the things you hear that you want to fix. At this point you should consider yourself a sculpter. This juncture is critical due to the displaced nature of the situation. You are able to hear what you did and literally sculpt your sounds. Be honest, easy on yourself, and detailed oriented. Keep in mind that the recording is such as a guru giving your a vast opportunity to change the course of your musical life.

When asked why I play wedding music, I always answer: "Some want to make money, some want to make a name for themselves. I want to create the best experience possible for those that love music as much as I do!"